Favourite Brands - and Why?

Ever since I started school I remember going to the shopping centre and getting my feet measured for Clarkes shoes http://www.clarks.co.uk/ Even though I havent bought a pair from them for the last couple of years, I still find myself automatically wandering in and having a look around.

Which brands do you instantly trust & have faith in?

Craftsman
Ray-Ban
Bvlgari
Coach
TIGI
Shimano
Garmin

are my favorites in their respectable industry.
I'm still new to other facets of industry to pick a favorite brand amongst them (e.g. razors, soaps, watches, shoes, cars, etc.)
I'm still in my 20's, so I'm sure the list will grow as I age and learn to appreciate quality products of particular brands over another.

Sony (high end only)
Grado
Sennheiser (high end only)
Tag Heuer
Brooks Brothers Glasses frames
Chanel fragrances
New Balance
Rockport
Gehwol foot care products

I'm sure there are many more, but that's what comes to mind immediately.

Brooks Brothers - Even though they've lost some favor with me recently, they're still one of the very few classic menswear stores. Love their Saxxon Wool suits and sport coats.
Ledbury shirts - Two American gentlemen who have Oxford MBA's decided to learn the craft on Seville Row and pursue fine shirt making instead of wall street.
Crockett & Jones and Edward Green Shoes - Old School English craftsmanship.
Alden Shoes - Great American Craftsmanship

Rolex
Montblanc
Bills
BB
Arc'Teryx
Burberry
Allen Edmonds
HS Trask
LE Tailored Fit
And, although these may be a stretch for this forum - - Randall and Glock

With few exceptions I don't have favorite brands because usually they reflect advertising and the perceptions Madison Avenue sticks in your head. I know folks always say they are not affected by advertising but Madison Avenue types would laugh their butts off at that remark. Usually the younger the person the more the choices reflect this and that's why a certain demographic is heavily favored by advertisers because they can be more easily swayed by the hype.

"Brands" are not just about hype if they add value, innovation, and innate usefulness to what they bring to the market. But really excellent brands have a special place because in many respects they define the product(s) they produce and challenge their competitors in ways that separate them from the pack. There are very few companies that do this, and do it consistently. With brands like this, prices often becomes a non-issue, even when they are priced competitively. I can only think of a few that, for me, do this: Apple. BMW. Alden. Seiko. These four leap to the top of my mind, and it has to do with they way they work or perform, the manner in which they do it, and how they are made. Their "brand loyalty" is off the chart, and it has little to do with their advertising. Sadly, I used to be able to say this about a number of clothing brands, but I find that any more there is little in the way of innovation, quality, superior construction or fabric to warrant that distinction, unless you are at the very high end of the market (hand made Brioni, for example). Finding a superior and well made polo shirt can be an exercise in frustration.

Is this just stuff in general?
LL Bean
Warmoth Guitars
Land's end
Federal Ammunition
Lamy Pens (high end)
Pilot Pens
Noodler's Ink
Saddleback Leather
Kershaw knives

Snap On (tools)
Apple (computers/electronic devices)
Harley Davidson (if you don't know, I'm not saying)
Browning (firearms)
Remington (firearms)
Ford (automobiles/trucks)
Webber (grills)
Randall (knives)
Titleist (golf equipment)
Sweetwater (beer)

All the above have demonstrated to me their worth as carefully designed and manufactured products. Pricey? Perhaps, but still worth the cost as far as I am concerned. And......
Ford didn't stoop down and grab any of the "Bail Out" money like GM and Chrysler. Class Act!!

Brands I trust without hesitation:

Saddleback Leather
Harris Tweed Scotland (not the generic fabric, the coats)
Fjallraven*
Keen
Florsheim
Apple*
Brooks Brothers*
Indochino

Those with a * are kind of on the edge. Recent changes in manufacturing and material quality point towards less reliability, although I haven't necessarily experienced it yet.

Gap (Jeans, chinos, boxer shorts, shirts)
Marks & Spencer (coats, t shirts, socks, vests or undershirts as I think Americans know them)
Loake, Jones Bootmaker (shoes)
New Balance (running gear and casual trainers)
Charles Tyrwhitt ("party" shirts)
Barbour (wax jackets, shoes)

They all just a great job at what I consider to be very reasonable prices.

Coke
Ruger
Colt
Vasque
Ray Ban
Serengetti
Hyundai
Nissan
Kawasaki
Suzuki
Seiko
AT Cross
New Balance
Weber Grills
Glock
Panasonic
Merkur
Beretta
Benchmade
Victorinox
Galco
Boyt Leather
Michelin
Mobil 1
Zeiss
Leica
Heinz ketchup

To name a few----more will come the more I think about it.

Lands End
New Balance
Sig Sauer
Subaru

All of the above have done well by me in the past and have earned my repeat business

-Brooks Brothers (Sport Coats/Shirts & ties)
-Cole Haan/Born (Shoes)
-Rolex/Omega (Watches)
-Microtech/Swiss Army (Knives)
-Van Heusen (Clothing)
-Colibri (Lighters)
-H&K/Beretta (Handguns)
-Persol (Sunglasses)

rocked clark wallabies through college and some other clark models, but i found that over the past decade, the name clarks has more nostalgia than recent success for me..

my favorites over the last 10 years tend to be the classic inspired (not super trendy) stuff. for clothes, most people wouldn't recognize the companies right off because the items i trend to don't usually have logos. Having spent a lot of time in Russia altered my taste incredibly. It all has to have the right feel for me, so i don't have instant faith in really any company. but i do find myself trending towards a certain look and the New Russian style it is not.

Cavalli
Helmut Lang
Gucci
Elie Tahari
Tom Ford
GFF
Prada/Miu Miu
Armani

Omega
Bulgari

A. Testoni
Asics

I love my Arc'Teryx winter gear i got in 2001, it is still friggin sweet.

BoConcept
DWR

and finally Acqua di Parma!!!

for me

Barbour, Hoggs of Fife and Driz-a-bone
Tilley
Church's (though I have yet to afford a pair!)
Uni-Qlo & Muji (not for all items, but for many)
Marks & Spencer
Dunhill (tobacco)
G-Shock
Mora

Woolpower, because they make the best socks in the world =D

Honda (if I need anything that Honda makes I get it from Honda.. cars, mowers, generators, etc)
L.L. Bean (hunting, casual)
Orvis (fishing, casual)
Filson (anything)
Patagonia (silk weight shirts)
Winston (fly rods)
Shimano (spinning equip)
Sig Sauer (pistols)
Browning (rifles & shotguns)
Ziess (glass)
ECCO (shoes and boots)
SmartWool (socks)
Filson (anything)
Fishpond (fishing, packs, bags, etc)
Xikar (lighter)
Ray-Ban (Outdoorsman II for 40 years and now with Rx glass)
Casio G-Shock
Swiss Army Knives
Peterson (pipes and tobacco)
Canon (camera & lens)
Weber (grills)
Campolongo (bicycling hardware)
Surefire
Matts Coffee

scottish steve said:

for me

Barbour, Hoggs of Fife and Driz-a-bone for outdoor clothing
Tilley
Church's (though I have yet to afford a pair!)
Uni-Qlo
Muji (not for all items, but many)
Marks & Spencer
Dunhill (tobacco products)
G-Shock
Mora(knives)
Also
Highlander and /web-tex for camping/military clothing

Click to expand...

addended

Lacoste
Banana Republic
7 for all mankind
Johnston and Murphy
Patagonia
TaylorMade